News Avoidance in the UK Remains High as Lockdown Restrictions Are Eased

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 2020

6 Pages Posted: 9 Oct 2020

See all articles by Richard Fletcher

Richard Fletcher

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Antonis Kalogeropoulos

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism; University of Liverpool - Department of Communication and Media

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Date Written: July 28, 2020

Abstract

In this RISJ Factsheet we examine again the issue of news avoidance during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK. This is the eighth in a series of ten factsheets based on an ongoing online panel survey of a representative sample of the UK population, fielded from 16 July to 22 July 2020. We find that: (i) levels of news avoidance grew sharply in April and May at the start of lockdown and have broadly remained at high levels since then, (ii) even as the proportion that say COVID-19 is the single most important issue facing the UK today fell from 72% at the end of April, to 51% in mid-July. (iii) Most of those that avoid news about COVID-19 say it is because "it has a bad effect on my mood", and most COVID-19 news avoiders say that they avoid news on television.

Keywords: news, news avoidance, news finds me, UK, coronavirus, COVID-19

Suggested Citation

Fletcher, Richard and Kalogeropoulos, Antonis and Kalogeropoulos, Antonis and Nielsen, Rasmus Kleis, News Avoidance in the UK Remains High as Lockdown Restrictions Are Eased (July 28, 2020). Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 2020, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3704270

Richard Fletcher (Contact Author)

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ( email )

13 Norham Gardens
Oxford, OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

Antonis Kalogeropoulos

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ( email )

13 Norham Gardens
Oxford, OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

University of Liverpool - Department of Communication and Media ( email )

19-23 Abercromby Square
Liverpool, L69 7ZG

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen

University of Oxford - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ( email )

13 Norham Gardens
Oxford, OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

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